Swivel ring binder



Jan. 18, 1949. A. R. RUSSELL SWIVEL RING BINDER 3 Sheets-sheaf 1 Filed May 29, 1944 IN VEN TOR.

Jan. 18, 1949. A. R. RUSSELL SWIVEL RING BINDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 29, 1944 INVENTOR.

Fuozsell F770. VEYSJ Jan. 18, 1949. Q A. R. RUSSELL 2,459,541

SWIVEL RING BINDER Filed May 29, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet :5

IN VEN TOR. flZ/fgJ 5 5682:

Patented Jan. 18, 1949 SWIVEL RING BINDER Alfred B. Russell, Grosse Pointe, Mich., assignor to The Burkhardt Company, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application May 29, 1944, Serial No. 537,796

1 Claim.

This invention relates to that class of articles known as swivel ring binders and has for its principal object the provision of a device of this type that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and is eificient in use.

Objects of the invention include the provision of a ring binder device comprising a plate member and a so-called ring member which may be made of either metal or suitable non-metallic material such as plastic and which, when made from the latter material offers certain advantages not possible in similar constructions heretofore proposed; the provision of a ring type binder device in which the plate member is formed from a transparent plastic material; the provision of a device of the type described in which at least one edge of the plate member is provided with a reversely bent portion having slots opening transversely onto the free edge of the same, together with a ring member or its equivalent operatively engaged with the opposite side of the plate member and having a notched end portion arranged for removable reception and locking in the notched edge of the plate member; the provision of a construction as above described in which both edges of the plate member are reversely bent and notched and the cooperating ring members are complementarily notched at their opposite ends for removable reception in the notched edges of the plate member; the provision of a construction as above described in which the ring members are resilient and of a dimension between their free ends in excess of the dimension between the reversely turned free edge portions of the plate member whereby the ring members are required to be sprung within the limits of their elasticity to permit complete interengagement thereof with the plate members; the provision of a construction as above described in which the ends of the ring members are provided with beveled faces providing cams for in terengagement with the corresponding reversely turned edges of the plate member whereby a force exerted between the end of a ring member and the cooperating free edge of the plate member serves to spring the ring member sufiiciently to permit its interengagement with the plate member and upon engagement prevents inadvertent disengagement of the two; the provision of a construction as above described in which the op positely turned edges of the plate member conform to arcs of a circle so that the ring members may pivot at either end thereon, thus enabling the ring members to be opened up from either side of the plate member: and the provision of a construction as above described in which the reversely turned opposite side edges of the plate member are of arcuate cross-sectional conformation and the cooperating slots in the ends of the ring members are curved for complementary reception of such reversely turned side edges when received in the corresponding slots thereof.

Further objects of the invention comprise a ring type binder and a book or pamphlet maintained in assembled relationship by means there of, together with identifying means for the book or pamphlet protected by, but visible through, the plate member of the binder; the provision of a construction as above described in which the identifying means for the pamphlet or book comprises a cover member therefor and identifying means printed or otherwise applied to the bound edge of the book or pamphlet; and the provision of a construction as above described in which the identifying means for the book or pam phlet consists of a strip of material separate from the book or pamphlet and inserted between the oppositely turned edges of the plate member of the binder.

The above being among the objects of the present invention the same consists in certain novel features of construction, materials employed in conjunction therewith, and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate suitable embodiments of the present invention and in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several difierent views,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a swivel ring type binder device constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrating both ends of the ring in operative engagement with the plate member;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating one end of the ring disengaged from the plate member and the ring member swiveled about the opposite edge of the plate member;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the ring member as swiveling on the plate member about its opposite edge;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the construction shown in the preceding views showing both ends of the ring member operatively engaged with the plate member in full lines, illustrating the ring member by dot and dash lines in one position cor responding to the position thereof shown in Fig. 2, and in another position thereof the relative position which one end of the ring member preferably assumes when in free and unstressed condition andthe opposite end thereof is operatively engaged with the corresponding edge of the plate member;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of that I portion of the construction shown in Fig. 4 within the dot and dash circle 5 thereof, this to bring out more clearly the shape .of the slots which are provided in the ring members for cooperative engagement with the arcuately sectioned reversely bent edge portions of the plate members;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, perspective view illustrating a notched edge portion of the plate member and. the, cooperating notched end ,of the. ring membenin exploded view, tobetter bringout the relativeconformation of theseparts;

Fig.7 is a. fragmentary, sidev elevational view of. the plate member, and. a cooperating ring member, inexploded View;

Fig. 8 is va View similar to Fig. 6 but illustrating a ring .member of rectangular cross-sectional conformation;

Fig.9 is a view similar-to Fig.4 but illustrating an oval type of ring member cooperating with members, each with its individual ring member,

are employed in'place of the-continuous plate member shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a'fragmentary; perspective view of a swivel ring type-binder of the type shown in the preceding views securing a plurality of loose leaves together in book-like form and with a title thereforapplied to a strip of paper 'or other flexible material and inserted'within the-plate member between. the opposite reversely'turn'ed free edges thereof;

Fig. 13 is a view. similar. to Fig. 12 but illustrating additionally the use of loose leaf cover members;

Fig. 14 is a View similartoFigs. l2 and 13 but illustratingkaconstruction in. which .the loose leavesare provided with asingle ,piece cover member which itself carries. the title and which'is visible through the transparentfiplate.member;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 14 but in which the titleisap-plied to the platemember itself;

Fig. 16 isa viewsimilar to'FigL15 showingthe same type of constructionbut in which the-title is placed. on aseparatestrip of flexible. material and inserted between the end vofthe cover and Fig. 18 is a fragmentary, perspective view illus trating a modified form of plate and cooperating ring members.

The present invention relates to those types of binders conventionally known as swivel type ring binders. While in the broader aspects of the invention both or either the plate member and the ring members may be formed from metal, the construction is particularly applicable to be formed from non metallic materials such as any one of a variety of plastic materials now found on the market. This latter feature is particularly desirable at the present time not only because it enables the manufacture of this type of binder made from non critical material, but because when constructed from transparent plastic it provides advantages not possible when formed from metal. For this reason, in the following description, unless otherwise specified, it will be assumed that both the plate member and the ring Y members are formed from plastic material, the

plate member in particular from a transparent plastic, and those skilled in the art will thereby desired cross-sectional configurationbut which ordinarily will be desirably formed to a slightly curved. conformation as shown. The opposite edges of the plate members 26 are reversely bent or formed as at 22 to present a pair of channellike elements on the same side of the plate member 20 arranged in opposed relation with respect toeach other. The reversely bent edgeportions 22 areeach of arcuate or partially circular crosssectional conformation as shown. 7

For reception of each ring tobe carried by a plate memberill .the free edge portion of each reversely bent edge portion" 22 is provided with a transverse. slot 24 opening onto the free edge thereof, each pair of cooperating slots 24 being aligned with eachother transversely of the length of the plate member 20.

Each plate member. 20 may be formed for cooperative engagement with one or more ring members. vThese ring members may be .of any desired shape or contour as, for instance, partially circular as illustrated at 26 in Figs. 1 to '7, inclusive, or of partially oval form as illustrated in Fig. 9 at 26a, or otherwise. Furthermore, they may be of any desired cross-sectional configuration such as round as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, and Fig. 9; square orrectangular as lustratecl at 26b in Fig. 8, or of any other conformation. In any event these ring members'are cf the splittype and their free end portions are formed for cooperative engagement with thereversely bent edge portions 22 of the plate'member 20.

being of such depth that the thickness remaining in this portion of the ring between the notches 28 is capable of being closely but slidably received between the opposite side walls of the cooperating notches 24. Additionally, and this is important, the notches 28 in side View, as best brought out in Fig. 5, are curved in side elevational view of the ring in complementary relationwith respect to the cross-sectional curvature of the reversely turned side edges 22 of the plate 2|], and the width of the notches 28 are substantially equal to the thickness of the material from whichthe plate member is formed, so that when a ring member and a plate member are in cooperative engagement with one another both the bottom and side walls of the notches or grooves 28 relatively closely but slidably embrace the marginal wall portions of the corresponding reversely turned edge portion 22 at opposite sides of the corresponding notch 24. As a result of this feature when one end only of a ring member, such as 26, is operatively engaged with the reversely bent edge portion22 of a cooperating plate member 20, the ring as. a Whole, and as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, may pivot about the corresponding reversely turned edge portion 22 of the plate member 20 as shown, the axis of such pivotal movement being, of course, the center of cross-sectional curvature of the corresponding edge portion 22. Furthermore, and as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, depending upon which end of the ring member is operatively engaged with the plate member 20, the ring member 26 may swivel with relation to either one side or the other side of the platemember 20 as selected by the user in each case.

The ring members 26 are made of such crosssectional size in relation to their diameter or other maximum dimensions and to the material from which they are formed as to render them readily flexible under manual pressure to that extent necessary to effect the purposes of the present invention. In other words, it will be appreciated that one end of a ring member may be engaged in the corresponding slot 24 of a plate member without necessarily deforming the ring member 26, but in such case if the spacing of the free end portions of a ring member 26 is such as to conform to its position when fully engaged by the plate member 20, when it will be necessary, after one end of a ring member is engaged with the plate member, as, for instance, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, to spring the remaining end of the ring member towards the first end so that it may pass downwardly within the cooperating end 22 of the plate member in order to enable it to be brought into cooperative relation with respect to its corresponding notch 24. In this respect it is preferable that the free end portions of the ring members 25, etc. when such ring members are in free and unstressed condition. are spaced from each other by an amount slightly greater than the spacing existing when they are both cooperatively engaged in the reversely bent end portions 22 of the cooperating plate member 20. This feature is brought out in the righthand dotted lines in Fig. 4 and is desirable in that it aids in maintaining a tight and secure joint between the ring mem bers and the plate member in service and aids in preventing inadvertent disengagement of the ring members and their cooperating plate member.

Additionally, and as perhaps best brought out in Fig. 5 the extreme end portions of the ring members 26 are preferably so shaped that when both ends of a ring member are operatively engaged in a plate member they substantially contact the innerwall of the centralportion of the plate member inwardly of the curved edge portions 22. The mutual inter-engagement of the ring members and plate members in such case act to reinforce one another and stiffen the structure in general.

Another eflect of forming the ends of the ring as above described is that, and as will be particularly appreciated from an inspection of Fig. 4, that in so forming the ends of the rings 26 each end surface forms, in effect, a cam surface. The result of this is that when one end of a ring is operatively engaged withits corresponding side 22 of a plate 20 and the ring is pivoted downwardly to bring the remaining end thereof into engagement with its corresponding side 22, as soon as the ring has been sprung sufiiciently to bring the tip end of such remaining end of the ring over the inner margin of its corresponding side 22, a simple downward pressure on the ring member will, because of the cam-like engagement of such yet disconnected end of the ring with its edge 22, cause such end to be cammed inwardly until it passes downwardly beyond such edge and into cooperative engagement therewith.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the ring members thus described are releasably engageable with the plate member at both side edges of the latter and may be pivoted or swiveled with respect to the plate member along either edge thereof. This latter feature is of particular advantage in that in no case is it ever necessary to remove more than half of the sheets which are mounted on the rings in order to remove any one sheet, or to add an additional sheet or sheets thereto regardless of the position in which they are to be added. It is also of advantage in that there is no permanent connection between the rings and the plate, they may be sold and shipped in disassembled relationship and readily assembled by the purchaser, and that breakage of one or more rings does not destro the utility of the device as any such broken rings may be readily and quickly replaced without the necessity o employing skilled help.

The construction described lends itself to application to a relatively wide variety of loose leaf binders. For instance, and as illustrated in Fig. 10 a plate member 20 of a length equivalent to the length of a flexib-leor other cover member 30 may be provided with two or more rin members 26 arranged in suitable or desirably spaced relation along the length of the same and suitably secured to the inside of the cover 30 by any suitable means such as rivets 32.

On the other hand and as illustrated in Fig. 11, instead of providing a plate member 20 of a length equivalent to the length of the cover member 30, a plurality of shorter plate sections 20 may be employed, each with one or more ring members 26 cooperating therewith, the plate members 26 being arranged in end-to-end relatioriship within the cover 30 and each suitably secured thereto as, for instance, by means of rivets 34.

In the constructions illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 the plate members 20 may obviously be formed of either metal or other suitable non-metallic material such as plastic or the like without affecting the results obtained thereby in either one a e-same ordinarilyrwill: be. a strip; of; paper, may have: a title such as 40* printed: or otherwise applied theretoand the strip 38" simply inserted between the-reversely bent marginal edge portions of the plate; N with. the title: facing; outwardly so as to be: visible through the: transparent. plate as shown. The strip 38-:insuch case'is, of course, preferably of such; width: that when inserted between the; oppositely bent. edges 22 or the plate 20-11; will be frictionally held in position therein. Thus the title: may be readily applied and/or replaced and is protected against disfigurement by'theplate 20.

Where heavier sides for a book or pamphlet such as illustrated in Fig. 12 is desired, then as illustrated in Fig. 13 heavier and either stiff or flexible separate covermembers 42: may simply be slipped on therings 2fi-outwardly of the loose leaf 3B-to provide the desired structure.

Onthe other hand and as-brought out in Fig. 14 a one-piece cover such. as 44- may be desired for the loose leaves 36-inwhich case-the cover 44 may be-suitably scored. for bending into complementary cross-sectional. configuration for re-- ceptionwithin the plate 20 between the reversely turned marginal side edge portions 22 thereof as shown in Fig.14, and applied to the rings 26 along. with the loose leaf sheets 36; In this case if. a title 40 is desired it may, of course, be printed on the edge of the cover 44 in which case it will bevisible through the. transparent plate 25! in the. samemanner asthe constructions heretofore described;

It is not, ofcourse; necessary to apply a title to a pamphlet or book. assembly'of the type described onastripof paper such as as or on the end wallof a cover such. as 44- so as to be visible through the transparent plate member 29 and, of. course, where the plate member 25.! is not transparentthen, of course, such method of applying the title to thebookis uselessin an case. In any case and if desired a title such as 59 may, of course, be applied to the outer surface of the plate member 20. as illustrated in Fig. 15 which illustrates the sameconstruction asin Fig. 14. except for this onefeature.

It will likewise beappreciated that even where a construction asillustrated in Figs. 14 and 15 is used, thatis one in which the cover member 44 of one-piece construction, and the plate mem-- ber 201s of transparent material, the same separatestrip of material 3B-carrying thetitle Ml as employed in the construction shown in Figs. 12 and.l3 may be employedif desired.

In the broader aspects of the-invention, that isthe feature'employing a notched edge for the plate member anda cooperating notched end on the ring members arranged for releasably interlocking engagement with one another and in which the ring members are manually distortableto-permit engagement and disengagement of a.- free end thereof with the. plate member, then it is not necessary that both ends of the ring members releasably cooperate with the plate member although this is ordinarily desirable and is beli-eved-to-involve inventionover a constructionwhich has only oneendof the ring member so engageable with the plate member. In other words, in the broader aspects of the invention a plate member such as 20a illustrated in Fig. 18 may be employed and provided with only one reversely bent marginal edge portion such as 2|. The ring-members here illustrated at 2? may be permanently securedat. one end to that marginal edge.- portion; of. the; platemember 2M opposite the? edge! I thereoiiand-ma-u;,inzfact, and as il1ustrated; in Fig. 1*8; be formed integrally therewith if desired. The -reversely turned edge'portion 2|- in such casewill'benprovided withtransverse notches 2421' in alignment. transversely of'the length of? the'pla'te. member:.20a with the points of connection of the: corresponding" ring members 2i thereto, andthmfree:en'd'portionsmfi the ring member-s21? in'suchi casewilll bez'provided in their opposite side edges with opposed: and aligned notches 28a, corresponding with the notches 28 m the rings previously'described; for cooperative engagement with the corresponding notches 24a; This typ'eof construction will be'found to be more practical when constructed of relatively flexible material such as thin= spring metal, relatively thinner plastic material" than that which will ordinarily be' found advisable in the-constructions firstdescribed, or itmay beeve'n made ofa good grade of fibreboard of suitable thickness and character. In thi's'ca se it'is', of course, not necessary that the? reversely'turned edgeportion 2| of the plate member'ioa' conform closel'yri'n crosssectional configuration totlie arcof a circle'but it. is preferable that the ringimembers 21, when in free and unstressed condition;. are arranged with their free end portion positioned laterally outwardly of the bottomsofl'the notches 24a so that the natural spring of. the material from which they are formed will tend to. hold. them securely. inthe notches 24. when, operatively en? gaged withthe Walls .thereof..

Having thus. described, my. invention,. what I claim by LettersrPatent is:-

In a swivel ringtypebinder, in combination; plate member, reverselybent side edge portions onsaid plate. member providing a pair' of opposed and spaced channels each of partially circular cross-sectional?configuration, said reversely turned side edge portionsrhav-ingatransversely dis posed notches openingontothe free-edges-thereof and said notches.beingaligned with each other transverselyof. the length of: the said i plate member, a flexiblesplitringimember distortable under manual pressure andwithin-the elastic limitsof the material thereotto. vary the distance between the free endsthereof; eachr-f-ree-end portion'of said ring member being provided=with a slot in each side'thereof; sa-id slots beingia-rranged inopposed relation with. respect -to each otherand the slots in eachuoisaid: free: end portions being spaced from one anothervby a distance substantially equal to the: width: of said: transversely disposednotches infsaid reversely bent side edge portions,- said slots; in side-elevationbeing curved intoconformance withthe cross-sectional curvature of said reversely bent. side. edge: portions and being of. a;- widthzsubstantially equa-Lto the thickness of' the: material: of said 'reversely bent side edgeeportions whereby:saidziree:endrportions maybe removably'recei-ved inthe:n'otch'ed portions of said 'reversely bentside edgeportions of saidplate member andsaid ring member may pivot about either of said reversely bentrside edge portions of said: platememberwhen the opposite end thereof is disengagedifrom its correspond= .ingly reversely bent side edge portions, the ends said. plate: member: in: a1. directionzperpendicular to the general plane of thickness of said plate member and in a direction towards the latter.

ALFRED R. RUSSELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Number Name Date Dawson Feb 2, 1932 Schlichting Feb. 16, 1932 Douvry Aug. 14, 1934 Schade -1 Dec. 17, 1935 Tauber Aug. 6, 1940 Penney Nov, 25, 1941 Trussell June 8, 1943 Trussell June 15, 1943 Trussell June 29, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1936 France 1927 

